A HUGE traffic management plan has been unveiled to ease congestion and keep Coventry on the move.

The Coventry Traffic Management Centre (CTMC) aims to improve traffic flow and make it easier to use public transport.

The scheme will revolve around 52 CCTV cameras which will also link up with regional traffic monitoring systems.

Two of the cameras will be used to help traffic management around the city centre Ikea store due to open in December.

Bus movements will be prioritised and variable messaging will be set up to provide real-time information on parking and journey times for motorists.

The cameras will capture evidence of the misuse of bus lanes, with guilty motorists facing £60 fines.

The scheme, due to launch next year, will also provide bus passengers with travel times at bus stops located on strategic bus routes across Coventry.

Announcing the scheme, Cllr Hazel Noonan, cabinet member for city services, said: "This is good news for all road users and pedestrians alike.

"When fully operational, the traffic controllers will be in a position to identify traffic build-up and counteract congestion by diverting traffic through different routes.

"The adjustment of traffic and pedestrian controlled crossings will play its part in the management of congestion by prioritising bus movements.

"It will also assist in the enforcement of regulations to enable bus lanes to be kept clear of parked cars and unauthorised vehicles. This will ensure smooth movement of traffic across the city's roads."

Under the scheme, up to 400 traffic lights and pedestrian controlled crossings on the Primelines bus corridors will be modified to enable bus prioritisation.

It is hoped the scheme will increase bus use on Primeline routes by 25 per cent by August 2008.

In the future, travel information may also be posted on the city council's website and via text messages direct to bus users' mobile phones.

Most of the funding for the UTMC project will come from £28million already allocated to the Primelines scheme from government coffers.